Sochi Olympics

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

Make that 8 - ABM is a legitimate contender for a medal in ski slopestyle. He's the only guy we're sending but he also might be the most likely guy to prevent an American podium sweep. Nick Goepper is the easy favourite but as to who the runner up is, opinion is somewhat split between ABM and Bobby Brown. The course will play into it. I actually think he has a better shot than anyone on our pipe team - Justin Dorey has a legitimate shot at gold, but hasn't been consistent in a while putting a run down. So it's sort of a "might finish first or tenth" situation there.

I just tried to limit it to gold contenders and I don't think Marchand is there.

The pipe guys have all had big results in the past couple years which is why I gave them a bump, consistency is definitely a problem but I trust them to pull a winning run over Marchand.

Wallisch is definitely a headscratcher for the U.S. but the money they have down there just allows for so much depth in their programs that they can just keep doing stuff like this. He may be the face of their freestyle team but NBC will be so busy talking about Vonn that they won't have time for anybody else.

[Mango]

Teaser for the flag bearer? The latest updated Canadian Olympic Team media release says the flag bearer won't be able to attend tomorrow's announcement.

[Roughneck]

I'm not surprised it was Wickenheiser, but I really didn't want it to be.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

I'm not surprised it was Wickenheiser, but I really didn't want it to be.

Maybe they are trying to hide the flag jinx in a team sport...

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Maybe they are trying to hide the flag jinx in a team sport...

LeMay Doan, Goyette, Hughes - the flag jinx doesn't exist.
Or if it did, it's dead.

[GirlySports]

woo i was right

[Otto-matic]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Yep.

There are probably 20 or so shots at gold for Canada (a mix of either being the favorite or being a legitimate contender).

Bobsleigh (1): Humphries is the favorite.
Curling (2): Jacobs and Jones are legit contenders
Figure skating(3): Canada is poised for at least the team and men's gold. Virtue/Moir have a shot at gold as well.
Freestyle Skiing (7): Men's moguls favorites (whether Bilodeau or Kingsbury), women's moguls contenders (should be at least two Dufour-Lapointe's on the podium and Justine has stolen a couple from Kearney recently), men and women's halfpipe contenders, women's slopestyle favorites, women's ski cross favorites, men's ski cross contenders
Hockey (2): screw the haters
Short Track (1): Could win no gold medals, could win eight. We all know how this sport works. Men's relay favorites and a Canadian should be in the finals of most events.
Snowboarding (3): women's SBX favorites, men's and women's slopestyle favorites

So 19 events (not including guessing how short track will work out) that talk of winning gold isn't just media hype.

That leaves out some places where Canadians have been doing well but not consistent enough for me to consider them gold medal contenders even though they are podium contenders or athletes who have fallen off a bit in the last year but are still capable of putting in a good performance (Harvey, Gough, Guay, Nesbitt and pretty much the whole long-track team etc).


All in all it should be Canada's best overall medal performance at least, but talking about breaking the gold medal record is certainly not a pipe dream (though people do need to remember just how good 14 was and that it's a record for a reason so don't get all depressed if it isn't equaled or surpassed).

This took a hit

"Brendan Parker‏@GlobalParker12 mins
Terrible news for Calgary Halfpipe skier Megan Gunning, injured her knee qualifying for X-Games and will not be going to Sochi. #Sochi2014"

Brendan Parker‏@GlobalParker10 mins
Gunning was coming off knee surgery & finished 4th at COP World Cup earlier this month. Moguls skier Philippe Marquis takes her spot.

[MissTeeks]

Good god!



Poor Zach Parise.

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/23...-unveiled.html

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by Otto-matic

This took a hit

"Brendan Parker‏@GlobalParker12 mins
Terrible news for Calgary Halfpipe skier Megan Gunning, injured her knee qualifying for X-Games and will not be going to Sochi. #Sochi2014"

Brendan Parker‏@GlobalParker10 mins
Gunning was coming off knee surgery & finished 4th at COP World Cup earlier this month. Moguls skier Philippe Marquis takes her spot.

Heartbreaking for Gunning, she was definitely on the rise. A Calgarian to boot.

Originally Posted by MissTeeks

Good god!



Poor Zach Parise.

http://www.kansascity.com/2014/01/23...-unveiled.html

The U.S. never fails to outdo themselves for terrible team wear.

A look of "who would have thought my jersey will be the least ugly thing I'd have to wear at these Olympics"

[19Yzerman19]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Wallisch is definitely a headscratcher for the U.S. but the money they have down there just allows for so much depth in their programs that they can just keep doing stuff like this. He may be the face of their freestyle team but NBC will be so busy talking about Vonn that they won't have time for anybody else.

Vonn is hurt? Also the development of freeskiers really doesn't have much to do with how much money the US Olympic Team gets. Realistically if Tom Wallisch was Canadian he'd still be getting lots and lots of dollars from North Face etc. to do his slope thing. These guys weren't trained by their national teams for the olympics because before now there was no olympics for these guys. I think it's more a matter of population and the volume of talent they can draw from.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

The U.S. never fails to outdo themselves for terrible team wear.

A look of "who would have thought my jersey will be the least ugly thing I'd have to wear at these Olympics"

you know those will sell like crazy in the states.....

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by Montana Moe

I'd like to be the first (I think) to apologize for the fact that Team USA can't even think of their own merchandising gimmicks, and stole the Team Canada mittens.

The Canada ones were cool, and unique in 2010. Now, the USA ones seem like a cheap knockoff marketing ploy.

Spoiler!

They're probably made in China too

[Montana Moe]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

you know those will sell like crazy in the states.....

Psh, no one down here can afford that stuff, easy cheese is expensive!

Originally Posted by PIMking

They're probably made in China too

According to the Googles, they are.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Montana Moe

According to the Googles, they are.

According to this article, they aren't made in China this time around. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/ar...-ceremony.html

Ralph Lauren went to great lengths, it says, to avoid the controversy it encountered in 2012 when Team U.S.A.’s London games uniforms had been produced in China.
The company sourced the wool for its cardigan design in Oregon, which was then spun in Pennsylvania, and then knit by a husband-and-wife team in California.

Either way, still pretty hideous.

[troutman]

Team Germany is Fabulous!

[PIMking]

Originally Posted by troutman

Team Germany is Fabulous!

Die Deutschen, die Russen Trolling.....

[Canada 02]

someone asked for rainbows

[Roughneck]

McMorris breaks his rib... well ####

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

McMorris breaks his rib... well ####

Yeah...that really stinks for him and the country...but...he does have about 3 weeks to convalesce, he is young and in tremendous shape, so maybe he can heal it up enough to compete.

[craigwd]

Originally Posted by transplant99

Yeah...that really stinks for him and the country...but...he does have about 3 weeks to convalesce, he is young and in tremendous shape, so maybe he can heal it up enough to compete.

Isn't it more like 2 weeks?